Page 36 of In Love With the Leshy

She nods, then breaks down, her body racking with sobs.

“That’s it then. My family is gone. It’s just Ana and me.”

“I’m sorry,” I pull her into a hug. “It sucks. I know how you feel. My parents are dead, and I don’t have any siblings. No aunts or uncles. No grandparents. Everyone is gone.”

She holds me while she cries. Em doesn’t move. He doesn’t offer any consolation, and I don’t understand why.

“You should go.” He turns and heads inside his cave.

I let go of Masha and take a step toward the entrance. One of the other wolves appears from the dark interior.

“Hey, boy,” I say to the animal. “I just want to talk to Em. You know I won’t hurt him.”

To my surprise, the animal bares his teeth and growls in warning. The hair on the back of his neck stands straight up. WTF?

Fang springs to his paws and faces off with his friend. No one moves.

“Em!” I call, not daring to take another step. “Come back!”

*

“Don’t leave,” Masha implores. “It’s been so nice having someone to talk to.”

“You always have Em.”

“Yes, but we don’t see him all that much, and he’s really not a conversationalist. In fact, we’ve spoken more since you’ve been here than we did in the last year.”

I shrug.

“At least stay another couple of days. I’ve never seen him be such a jerk.”

“What can I say? I have a knack for bringing that quality out in men.”

“Stay for me. I like having a friend.”

“Friend?”

“I think that’s why my grandmother sent you. She could see that you had a kind heart and would make a good companion for both Em and me. Although in different ways,” she’s quick to add.

“He doesn’t want me here. He couldn’t make that any clearer.”

“Give him another chance. The last time you saw him, he wasn’t himself. He was weak and vulnerable. He’s probably embarrassed.”

“Fine.”

I agree not to leave just yet, but not to give Em another chance to hurt me. I feel empty. Numb. The few material possessions that mattered to me are no more. My car is vandalized. My mother’s rosary beads are gone, along with the rest of my personal belongings that were in the car. My phone. My license. My debit card.

I haven’t shown up at work in five days. Haven’t called to tell them I’m sick. I’m sure my ass is fired, as it should be. And I can’t make rent even if I am still employed because waitresses don’t make money unless they’re waiting tables.

Staying here for an extra day or two can’t hurt anything more than my already broken heart. All it does is give Em time to shatter it.

Chapter 17

“You’re a natural at this,” Masha says, picking my loofah out of the grass to look it over and then setting it back down.

“It’s something to keep my mind occupied.”

“No, really. You’re as good as Em.” Thanks for reminding me about the very thing I’m trying to forget.

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